The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-03-24


= II the Tampa Joxs~e1 ~ - rain
tain an hQnorabls rspasl on, Il III ear
sasdi hov sM,ss lnlt 10 80 ting
che sta} PHI er 18th suppse iu the
Senate bmuk tse RsIet on che o.
chobes Drainage sChsms." which report
does not appear in the Senate, Ioarnal, y,
it sayA II it believes that the report was
suppressed " the bitterness of it, remsrks
il accounted for, but 10 - believing, h
.isoald .shox- gssa. lack oe-iafssnssiea, Cor.
how would it be possible for the printer
to omit very lengthy and important doc
uments If ordered printed in the daily
Journal, and not be detected in the offence
by the, Senate aud its employees next
morningr And how remarkable it is that
the suppression I" was not discovered
for more than two years, and now by the
Tampa Journal! Of all absurd charges
that could be made against the State
Printer none could be more absurd, for
it carries its own refutatiou ON its very
face.
The work of the committee 10 traced in
the following extracts from the Journal:
Nv. Mann offered the following:
WHERBAs, The past four years have been
marked % the most prosperous In the history o
our State and have witnessed contracts and sales
by this body for the Information OF all the citi
Eens OF the State: therefore he II
Resotscd, That committee Of three be ap-
pointed 10 investigate, examine and report 10
this body any and all facts n relation to sales Of
land by the trustees Of the Internal Improve
ment Fund, IS we'll as all contracts made by
them under the laws OF this State, with any and
oil drainage and canal companies and private
individuals interested In such contracts or sales
Which was read and adopted.-Senate Journal
page 1913.
Mr. Mann offered the following resolution, and
moved It's adoption:
WHEREAS, A committee TO examine into con
tracts made by the Internal Improvement Board
6nd that nearly one million aud q quarter of
acres OF land have been decided to the Atlantic
and Gulf Coast Canal and Okeechobee Land and
Drainage Company; and Whcreas, II is impossible
to determine the extent Of work done without
the power to send for persons and papers, and
may require part of the committee 10 view the
WORK IN person and take testimony on the
ground; therefore. your committee request that
in attending to the duties assigned them they
have the power TO send for persons and papers,
and that they be authorized to organize q COM
mittee of three of their number should they
hod II 10 their judgment. necessary, who shall
visit and determine the advantages of the work
done by the Atlantic and Gulf Coast Canal and
Okeechobee Drainage Company, TO report AS
soon as possible
Which was adopted-8enate Journal, page
242.
Mr.. Mann moved the following:
In order 10 take the testimony and make q
complete investigation Of the sales by the 10.
ternal Improvement Board, the Chairman Of the
c Committee desires TO be permitted 10 employ q
clerk.
Mr.. Bryson moved its adoption;
Which was agreed tO.-Senate Journal, page
248
Mr.. Mann, Chairman Of the Special Commit.
tee, made the following report
SENATE CHAMBER, Tallahassee, Fla,
February IL, 1885.
Hon. NJ d. MABRY,
Precedent of the Senate
Sir: Your Special Committee, appointed to
investigate contracts made with the Internal
Improvement Board, beg leave to report
That they have been investigating and taking
testimony in regard to the same, but have been
unable 90 far 10 procure only the accompanying
testimony and documents relative thereto, which
is but small amount of the testimony obtain
1Oic anu White " Is somewhat vague, II goes 10
show that there can be further and more definite
testimony obtained that will enable your COM
mittee TO make full complete and exhaustive
report OF all the matters and things connected
with or relative to any Of the contracts made by
and with the said Internal Improvement Board
rs well as all benefits which said Board have de.
rived from said contract or contractors, and that
your committee proposes to continue this in
vesigatiOn as by resolution of January 28th,
1885, as they are instructed and empowered, and
report all matters and things connected there
with at as early day IS possible.
Respectfully submitted,
A. B. MANN, Chairman.
WIN. BRYsON.
Which was read.-Sen0te Journal, page 564.
Mr.. Lesley moved that the report Of Mr. Mann,
Chairman Of the Special Committee on Land
Sales, be received and the committee discharged ;;
Which was agreed tO.-6enate Journal, page
667.
Thus on motion of Senator Lesley the
report was received, but as the "accompa-
nying testimony and documents" soere not
ordered printed, they consequently
were not given to the printer and were
not printed, though the State Printer,
who "works by the piece" would have
been glad to do it-for "the more work
the more pay" We may surmise that
there were two reasons why they were
not ordered printed-one being the init.
nation of the committee that the inves-
tigation was incomplete, as the testimony
they had obtained "goes to show that there
may be further and more definite testimony
obtained - the other reason surmised is,
that the Senate having taken action for
the appointment of commission by the
Governor to investigate the Okeechobee
drainage operations considered that such
action superseded the committee in its
functions.
We are certain that al rightminded
readers will agree with us that we have .
right to expect that the Tampa Journal
will withdraw its charge of "suppres-
sion" By persistence it only hurts itself,
and damages such confidence Is people
may have in its rectitude Of purpose. 1t
certainly cannot desire the base distinc-
ton STAINED by few other papers of
the State, aud to be classed with those
notorious Islander mills.
civil Appointments.
The following civil appointments have been
mad. dur;yx the